Motor Oil Viscosity Grades

What does the SAE Viscosity rating on your Motoroil bottle mean?
How do they come up with this rating . . .really?
Most of the time when viscosity is explained words are used that are too technical
for the average person to quickly grasp. This leaves them still wondering what the
viscosity numbers really mean on a bottle of motor oil. Simply put, viscosity is the
oil's resistance to flow or, for the layman, an oil's speed of flow as measured
through a device known as a viscometer. The thicker (higher viscosity) of an oil, the
slower it will flow. You will see oil viscosity measurement in lube articles stated in
kinematic (kv) and absolute (cSt) terms. These are translated into the easier to
understand SAE viscosity numbers you see on an oil bottle.
OK . . .What does a 5W-30 do that an SAE 30 won't?
When you see a W on a viscosity rating it means that this oil viscosity has been
tested at a Colder temperature. The numbers without the W are all tested at 210 F
or 100 C which is considered an approximation of engine operating temperature. In
other words, a SAE 30 motor oil is the same viscosity as a 10w-30 or 5W-30 at 210
(100 C). The difference is when the viscosity is tested at a much colder
temperature. For example, a 5W-30 motor oil performs like a SAE 5 motor oil would
perform at the cold temperature specified, but still has the SAE 30 viscosity at 210
F (100 C) which is engine operating temperature. This allows the engine to get
quick oil flow when it is started cold verses dry running until lubricant either warms
up sufficiently or is finally forced through the engine oil system. The advantages of
a low W viscosity number is obvious. The quicker the oil flows cold, the less dry
running. Less dry running means much less engine wear.
Obviously, cold temperature or W ratings are tested differently than regular SAE
viscosity ratings. Simply put, these tests are done with a different temperature
system. There is a scale for the W, or winter viscosity grades and, depending on
which grade is selected, testing is done at different temperatures. See the Tables to
the right below for more information.
Basically to determine non-winter grade viscosity using a viscometer a measured
amount of oil at 100 C is allowed to flow through an orifice and timed. Using a table
they determine SAE viscosity based on different ranges. Thicker or heavy viscosity
oils will take longer to flow through the orifice in the viscometer and end up in
higher number ranges such as SAE 50 or SAE 60 for example. If an oil flows through
faster being thinner/lighter then it will wind up in a low number range such as SAE
10 or SAE 20 for example. Occasionally it is possible for an oil to barely fall into one
viscosity range. For example, an oil is barely an SAE 30 having a time that puts it on
the very low side. Then another oil is timed to be an SAE 20 on the high side not
quite breaking into the SAE 30 numbers. Technically speaking these oils will be close

to the same viscosity even though one is an SAE 20 and the other an SAE 30. But
you have to draw the line somewhere and that's how the SAE system is designed.
Another system takes more accurate numbers into account known as cSt
abbreviated for centistokes. You'll see these numbers used often for industrial
lubricants such as compressor or hydraulic oils. The table at the right, SAE Viscosity
Chart (High Temp), shows the equivalents for cSt and SAE viscosity numbers. You'll
see the ranges for cSt compared to SAE numbers. An oil that is 9.2 cSt will be nearly
the same viscosity as an oil that is 9.3 cSt, yet one is an SAE 20 and the other is an
SAE 30. This is why the cSt centistokes numbers more accurately show oil viscosity.
Now if you look at the table labeled Winter or "W" Grades, you can get valuable
information on how the W or winter grade viscosities are measured. Basically, as
shown by the chart, when the oil is reduced to a colder temperature it is measured
for performance factors. If it performs like a SAE 0 motor oil at the colder
temperature, then it will receive the SAE 0W viscosity grade. Consequently, if the
motor oil performs like a SAE 20 motor oil at the reduced temperatures (the scale
varies - see the chart), then it will be a SAE 20W motor oil.
If a motor oil passes the cold temperature or W (winter grade) specification for a
SAE 15W and at 210 F (100 C) flows through the viscometer like a SAE 40 motor
oil, then the label will read 15W-40. Getting the picture? Consequently, if the motor
oil performs like a SAE 5 motor oil on the reduced temperature scale and flows like a
SAE 20 at 210 F (100 C), then this motor oil's label will read 5W-20. And so forth
and so on!
I can't tell you how many times I have heard someone, usually an auto mechanic,
say that they wouldn't use a 5W-30 motor oil because it is, "Too thin." Then they
may use a 10W-30 or SAE 30 motor oil. At engine operating temperatures these oils
are the same. The only time the 5W-30 oil is "thin" is at cold start up conditions
where you need it to be "thin."
So how do they get a motor oil to flow in the cold when it is a thicker viscosity at
210 F?
The addition of Pour Point Depressant additives (VI) keep the paraffin in petroleum
base oils from coalescing together when temperature drops. Pour Point Depressants
can keep an oil fluid in extreme cold temperatures, such as in the arctic regions. We
will not go into Pour Point Depressing additives at this time except to say they are
only used where temperatures are very extreme to keep the motor oil from
becoming completely immobilized by the cold temperature extreme. For now we will
just discuss the Viscosity Improvers (VI) additives.
Why don't we just use a SAE 10 motor oil so we can get instant lubrication on
engine start up?

The reason is simple: it would be a SAE 10 motor oil at 210 F! The lower the
viscosity, the more wear will inevitably occur. This is why it is best to use the proper
oil viscosity recommended by the auto manufacturer as it will protect hot and at
cold start ups. Obviously a 10W-10 motor oil won't have the film strength to prevent
engine wear at full operating temperature like a 5W-20, 10W-30 or 5W-30 motor oil
for example.
The VI additives have the effect of keeping the oil from thinning excessively when
heated. The actual mechanics of this system are a little more complex in that these
additives are added to a thinner oil so that it will be fluid at a cold temperature. The
VI additives then prevent thinning as the oil is heated so that it now can pass the
SAE viscosity rating at 210. For example; if you have a SAE 10 motor oil it will flow
like a 10W at the colder temperature. But at 210 degrees it will be a SAE 10 giving
us a 10W-10 or SAE 10 viscosity rating. Obviously this is good at cold start up, but
terrible at engine operating temperature especially in warmer climates. But by
adding the VI additives we can prevent the oil from thinning as it is heated to
achieve higher viscosity numbers at 210 degrees. This is how they make a
petroleum based motor oil function for the 10W-30 rating. The farther the
temperature range, like with a 10W-40, then more VI additives are used. With me so
far? Good, now for the bad news.
Drawbacks of Viscosity Improving additives
Multi-grade motor oils perform a great service not being too thick at cold startup to
prevent engine wear by providing more instantaneous oil flow to critical engine
parts. However, there is a draw back. These additives shear back in high heat or
during high shear force operation and break down causing some sludging. What's
worse is once the additive begins to be depleted the motor oil no long resists
thinning so now you have a thinner motor oil at 210 degrees. Your 10W-30 motor oil
can easily become a 10W-20 or even a SAE 10 (10W-10) motor oil. I don't have to
tell you why that is bad. The more VI additives the worse the problem which is why
auto manufacturers decided to steer car owners away from motor oils loaded with
VI additives like the 10W-40 and 20W-50 viscosities.
The less change a motor oil has from high to low temperatures gives it a high
Viscosity Index. Synthetic motor oils that are made from Group IV (4) PAO base
stocks have Viscosity Indexes of more than 150 because they are manufactured to
be a lubricant and don't have the paraffin that causes the thickening as they cool.
But petroleum based motor oils (Group I (1) & II (2)) usually have Viscosity Indexes
of less than 140 because they tend to thicken more at the colder temperature due
to the paraffin despite the addition of Viscosity Improving additives. The higher the
Viscosity Index number the less thinning and thickening the motor oil has. In other
words, high number good, low number bad. Low numbers thicken more as they cool
and thin more hot. You see these Viscosity Index ratings posted on data sheets of
motor oils provided by the manufacturer.

As already mentioned, VI improving additives can shear back under pressure and
high heat conditions leaving the motor oil unable to protect the engine properly
under high heat conditions and cause sludging. Also there is a limit to how much
viscosity improving additives can be added without affecting the rest of the motor
oil's chemistry. Auto manufacturers have moved away from some motor oils that
require a lot of viscosity improving additives, like the 10W-40 and 20W-50 motor
oils, to blends that require less viscosity additives like the 5W-20, 5W-30 and 10W30 motor oils. Because stress loads on multi viscosity motor oils can also cause
thinning many racers choose to use a straight weight petroleum racing motor oil or
a PAO based Synthetic which do not have the VI additives. But only the Group IV (4)
PAO based synthetics generally don't need VI additives. Read on to learn why:
What about synthetic motor oils? Do they need Viscosity Additives?
Group IV (4) and Group V (5) base oil (synthetics) are chemically made from uniform
molecules with no paraffin and generally don't need Viscosity Additives. However, in
recent years Group III (3) based oils have been labeled "synthetic" through a legal
loophole. These are petroleum based Group II (2) oils that have had the sulfur
refined out making them more pure and longer lasting. Group III (3) "synthetic"
motor oils must employ Viscosity Additives being petroleum based.
Group V (5) based synthetics are usually not compatible with petroleum or
petroleum fuels and have poor seal swell. These are used for air compressors,
hydraulics, etc. It's the Group IV (4) PAO based synthetics that make the best motor
oils. They are compatible with petroleum based oils and fuels plus they have better
seal swell than petroleum. Typically PAO based motor oils use no Viscosity Index
additives yet pass the multi-grade viscosity requirements as a straight weight! This
makes them ideal under a greater temperature range. One advantage of not having
to employ Viscosity Improving additives is having a more pure undiluted lubricant
that can be loaded with more longevity and performance additives to keep the oil
cleaner longer with better mileage/horsepower.
How do I know what motor oil is a Group IV (4) based PAO synthetic motor oil?
As more and more large oil companies switched their "synthetic" motor oils to the
less expensive/more profitable Group III (3) base stocks it has become much easier
to identify which are PAO based true synthetic. Of the large oil companies, only
Mobil 1 Extended Performance, as of this writing (12-16-2012), is still a PAO based
true synthetic. The rest, including regular Mobil 1 and Castrol Edge have switched to
the cheaper/more profitable Group III (3) petroleum based "synthetic" motor oil.
AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils are PAO based true synthetic motor oils with the
exception of the short oil drain OE and XL synthetic motor oils sold at some Auto
Parts Stores and Quick Oil Change Centers. This leaves more than 20 PAO based
true synthetic motor oils manufactured and marketed by AMSOIL with only a few

Group III (3) based synthetic motor oils identified by the "OE" and "XL" product
name.
So as you can see, the average performance of motor oils can be affected by how
they change during their service life. Multi grade petroleum can lose viscosity and
thin causing accelerated wear as the VI additives shear back. Straight weight
petroleum (i.e. SAE 30, SAE 40) thicken a lot as they cool meaning longer time
before lubricant reaches critical parts on cold starts, but have no VI additives so
they resists thinning. However, they can degrade and thicken as heat and by
products of combustion affect the unsaturated chemistry. Group III (3) synthetics
resists this degradation much better, but being petroleum based employ some VI
additives which is a negative and typically don't have as good performance in the
volatility viscosity retention areas. Only the Group IV (4) PAO base synthetics have
the saturated chemistry to resist degrading when exposed to the by products of
combustion and heat, plus typically employ no VI additives making them very
thermally stable for longer periods. For this reason the Group IV (4) synthetics
maintain peak mileage and power throughout their service life
Modern motor oils are a marvel of chemistry to be sure. There are a lot more
additives in play than the few mentioned here. The API (American Petroleum
Institute - sets oil standards in the U.S.), ILSAC (International Lubricants
Standardization and Approval Committee - U.S. & Japanese auto/truck
manufacturers standards for motor oil) and ACEA (Association des Constructeurs
Europeens d'Automobiles - European auto/truck manufacturer oil standards) are
some of the different organizations you will see providing rating information on the
service grades of different motor oils. Plus there are some auto manufacturers like
Mercedes, BMW and Volkswagen that have unique oil standards for their cars. You
need to read your owner's manual clearly to be sure you are using the proper oil for
your application.
Some of these organizations, such as the API and ILSAC, have reduced friction
modifier amounts in order to extend the life of catalytic converters and reduce
pollution. These will increase wear but will be still within the "acceptable wear"
range. Because of the increased wear and expense of licensing these oils some
companies will not certify for API & ILSAC in order to achieve a higher level of
performance. People with older engines that do not have roller cams find these oils
especially attractive to maintain a reduced level of engine wear. AMSOIL only has 5
motor oils certified for the API & ILSAC for this reason (the four XL-7500 Branded
motor oils and the semi-synthetic 15W-40 PCO). The rest of the nearly 30 synthetic
motor oils are not certified in order to maintain the higher levels of friction modifier
to maintain the enhanced level of performance necessary for their targeted market.
In other words, the less expensive motor oils made by AMSOIL are API & ILSAC
certified while the high end more expensive performance motor oils are not. One
reason companies like AMSOIL and Mobil are at odds with the reduced friction
modifier standards is they don't take into consideration the reduced volatility of PAO

based motor oils which leads to much less pollution and thereby less problems for
the catalytic converter. Even with the full wear preventing additives these oils do
not produce the pollution of petroleum motor oils. For this reason AMSOIL has left
the friction modifier levels high and skips certification for these higher performing
motor oils.